VISTA 5:

See Meeting Minutes below.

1. Welcome to Service Unit 405 Meeting

   • Welcome and thank you for coming.
   • Please share with us any trips, crafts or ideas.

2. Sharing
   

   • Some of our troops actually wore the cookie costumes for their site sales. All went well, and the girls enjoyed the experience.
   • A kiosk at Westfield Old Orchard was used for a very successful site sale.
   • Council recognized that there were some glitches with site sales at local Jewel grocery stores.
   • Site sales will be extended until May 15, 2011 and/or council reaches its goal.
   • KeyLime Cove [www.keylimecove.com/index.cfm] periodically runs special deals, such as on St. Patrick’s Day when they allowed 5 to 7 in a room at no extra charge. Click on the resort name to see their web site and learn what types of specials and packages are available.
   • One of our Daisy troops went to the Shedd Aquarium [www.sheddaquarium.org/] for a day.

3. News and Updates from Council -- Sara N. (Membership Specialist)

   • Registration for summer camp programs opened on March 1, 2011. Postcards were sent to registered Girl Scouts’ homes as a reminder. Click here [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/summer-camp] to learn more about summer camp and to download the 2011 Summer Camp Guide.

4. Recognitions and Awards -- Margaret T. (Park Ridge)

   • Thank you for all your nominations.
   • They have been reviewed and approved by our local task force, and sent to council. Award recipients will be notified.
   • Our local recognition committee would like to award our volunteers with their Years of Membership pins. This pin is for years of membership as both a girl and adult, and issued in 5-year increments (5, 10, 15, etc.). (This is different from the Years of Service pin, which recognizes only years of adult service, and is awarded at council luncheons.) If you think you are eligible to receive this pin or know someone else who might be eligible, please complete the appropriate page of the nomination application, or contact Margaret T. (Park Ridge).

   • 2011 Adult Recognition Event

   • Celebrate with us at the council recognition luncheon that will be held at the White Eagle Banquets, 6839 N. Milwaukee Ave., Niles, IL
   • Saturday, April 16, 2011
   • Doors open at 11:00 am. Lunch and program start at 12 Noon till 3:00 pm.
   • Cost is $27.00 per person
   • You can register on-line [register.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/event.php?section_id=16722&show_year=2011&show_month=4&type=] at www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/registernow (code: 2007), or
   • register by mail to Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana, 2400 Ogden Ave., Suite 400, Lisle, IL 60532, or
   • register by fax at 630-544-5999
   • Click here [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/media/files/fliers/Celebrate_General.pdf] to download the information and registration form for this event. Registration deadline has been extended until noon on Wednesday, April 13th.
   • Please join us for a fun afternoon with Girl Scout friends.
   • Please see item #11 below for a troop service project opportunity connected with this luncheon.

5. Cookie Sale Wrap Up

   • Sorting and cookie pick up went very smoothly. Thank you to everyone who participated in making this a success.
   • Final deposits go directly to the bank, but Sue and Chris will put deposits into the ebudde system.
   • Please let Barbara M. (Morton Grove) know if there were any problems, or you had a great experience, at your site sale. Please include your troop number, day, time and location of your site sale, and how many cookies you sold.
   • Please complete the site sale survey so council knows if a site where you sold was okay, or if there were issues with a particular location.
   • If you have any suggestions for next year’s sale, please let Chris or Sue know. They will forward all feedback to council.
   • Sue S. (Park Ridge): Service Unit 405 Cookie Manager, and Park Ridge Cookie Manager
   • Chris W. (Park Ridge): Service Unit 405 Cookie Manager, and Park Ridge Cookie Manager
   • Joyce M.: Morton Grove/Niles Cookie Manager
   • Susie S.: Skokie/Lincolnwood Cookie Manager

6. Spring Registration Update -- Joyce M. (Niles/Morton Grove)

   • All registration packets for the Spring Registration will be available at our April meeting. Please make sure that you pick up your packets that night. Thanks!

7. Leader/Daughter Bowling Event

   • Saturday, April 16, 2011, from 10:30 am to 12 Noon
   • Pinstripes, 1150 Willow Rd., Northbrook, IL 60062, just West of Waukegan Rd.
   • Come enjoy a morning of bowling, breakfast and socializing!
   • Cost: $16 for girls/$20 for adults (includes shoe rental, Mom & Me fun patch for girls, and raffle)
   • Check the Events section of our Service Unit 405 (VISTA 5) web site, or click here to access specific event information and download the registration flier.
   • Jean C. (Park Ridge), event coordinator

8. Older Girl Event -- Funtastic Lock-in Event

   • Saturday, April 30, 2011, from 7 pm to 7 am (Sunday morning)
   • Elk Grove Park District Pavilion,1000 Wellington Ave., Elk Grove Village, IL 60007, near the intersection of Biesterfield and Arlington Heights Rd.
     
   • Cost is $33 per girl (no cost for chaperones)
   • This event is a lock-in open to Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors.
   • Activities include swimming, sports, a game room, a video room, and a badge in a bag craft (which can be ordered for $4 for girls not attending the event).
   • A flier will be e-mailed to you shortly. Also, check the Events section of our Service Unit 405 (VISTA 5) web site, or click here.
   • Registration deadline is April 17, 2011.
   • Barbara M. (Morton Grove), event coordinator
   • Service project: please bring a stuffed animal, small blanket or book for kids in crisis situations.
   • An event trip application and first aider will be available for the entire event, so each troop does not need to do this. Troops do need to have each girl complete a permission slip, and leaders must have their girls’ medical forms with them.

9. Leader Appreciation Celebration

   • Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 7:00 pm
   • St. John Brebeuf Ministry Center, 8301 Harlem Ave., Niles
   • A light supper and dessert will be served
   • Jeannie H. (Morton Grove) and her Cadette Troop #41781, event coordinators
   • Leader Appreciation Night is also our Adult Awards & Recognition ceremony and takes place at our last Service Unit 405 meeting of the year.

10. Camp Anokijig -- Nancy F. (Morton Grove)

    • If your troop wants to sleep in a cabin, you must get your registration in asap.
    • Just a reminder that there is absolutely no alcohol (beer, wine, etc.) allowed at any time, and no smoking during this event, either.
    • At least one troop volunteer needs Outdoor Training Module 1 self-study (Discover the Outdoors) and Module 2 (Cabin Camping). Module 3 is only needed if you are staying in the tents.
    • Click here [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/adult-learning-opportunities] to download the current Council Training Calendar for Outdoor Training dates.
    • Registration packet is available on-line in the Events section of our Service Unit 405 (VISTA 5) web site, or by clicking here.
    •  
    • Friday, August 19 - Sunday, August 21
    • Arrival is 6:00 pm on Friday; departure is after lunch on Sunday.
    • One- and two-night stays are available in cabins or tents.
    • Cost: $93.50 per person for a two-night stay; $73.00 per person for a one-night stay.
    • Horseback trail rides are extra ($17 per person). Girls must be 43" to ride. Corral rides are available for smaller girls.
    • The climbing wall will be available at an additional cost, as well.
    • Basic cost includes: all meals (prepared by camp staff; served buffet-style), activities (total of 7 during the 2-day weekend).
    • Open to all age levels, but some of the activities may not be suitable for Daisies and young Brownies.
    • You do not need any money to register. Deposit and balance due dates will be outlined in the registration packet.
    • It is best to send in your registration to Nancy via e-mail.
    • Troops will need to bring their own First Aider/CPR volunteer; drivers taking girls other than their own daughters must be registered; Safety-wise ratios must be followed; trip applications must be submitted; at least one volunteer per troop must be camp trained (modules 1 & 2 for cabins; module 3 for tents)

11. Service Opportunities

    • All troops are invited to make volunteer thank you table favors for our council’s recognition luncheons that focus on the theme Celebrate! The World’s Strongest Volunteers.
    • These favors should be "swap-size" and packaged in a plastic bag in groups of 10. These will be tabletop gifts for all of the attendees at these celebrations. Please be sure to use the word "volunteer" instead of "leader" if you are writing something on your thank you favor. Include your troop number and leader contact info inside the zipper bag so we know whom to thank in our printed program. Check your e-mail for more information.
    • If your troop would like to participate, please contact Youmna E., Director, Volunteer Service, North Region in the Vernon Hills Regional Service Center.
    • Council will need about 1,000 volunteer thank you’s in all. Deadline for submitting table favors to your closest regional service center was April 1, 2011. Please contact Youmna if you are still interested in this service project.

12. Certificate of Insurance (COI)

    • All trip facilities/locations need to have a COI listing Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana, 222 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 2120, Chicago, IL 60606 as the certificate holder.
    • There are already 10 pages on file of destinations that list Girl Scouts on their COI. Please e-mail Gail (see below) to check if your destination is on this list. If so, you don’t need a new certificate. If you’re destination is not on this list, you may need to get a certificate of insurance to add to the list.
    • You need to e-mail or mail the certificate to Gail Ludwigsen, Vernon Hills Regional Service Center, 650 N. Lakeview Parkway, Vernon Hills, IL 60061; or fax to 847-573-1104, or e-mail to GLudwigsen@girlscoutsgcnwi.org
    • For the Older Girl Event: the Elk Grove Park District will complete a COI with the Girl Scout information on it.

13. Trainings

    • Many training classes are available at www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org and scheduled through August, 2011 to get you ready for next year. Click here [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/adult-learning-opportunities] to download the current Council Training Calendar and see what’s available and where.
    • Daisy Grade Level Leadership Essentials and Brownie Grade Level Leadership Essentials are still on-line. If you need one, or both, of these trainings, you are strongly encouraged to do them as soon as possible. There is always the possibility that they will be taken off-line without advanced notice due to updates and revisions.
    •  
    • Leaders: please remember that you need to have completed your trainings to continue as a leader. You need:
    • • Orientation to Girl Scouting--This 45-minute training is available on-line. Click here [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/adult-learning-opportunities] to link to our council web site. Scroll down to Orientation to Girl Scouting, and click on the link to begin the training program.
      • Volunteer Essentials--There is a new 2010 Volunteer Essentials [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/volunteer-resources] booklet available to download at our council web site. Classes are also available on a variety of dates in a variety of locations. Please check the Spring/Summer 2011 Training Calendar. [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/adult-learning-opportunities] (Dates displayed in this edition are through February 2011.)
      • Grade Level Leadership Essentials--Classes are available for Daisy; Brownie; Junior; and a combined Cadette, Senior, Ambassador levels. Please check the Spring/Summer 2011 Training Calendar* for dates and locations. Additionally, Daisy and Brownie Level Leadership Essentials are available on-line. Click here [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/adult-learning-opportunities] to access the council web site. Please remember that when you complete your on-line training course, do not forget to push the Congratulations button at the end of the course. This notifies council that you have completed the training. You may also want to keep a copy of the Congratulations page for your own records.
    • When taking a CPR/First Aid training class, make sure your training offers a one- or two-year certification. Not all classes offer certification.

14. Retired Badges, Patches and Pins

    • Some current badges, Try-Its and petals are being retired. If you know you’ll be finishing one of these soon, BUY IT NOW! They will continue to be available for about a year into the new program (see below), or until stock runs out.
    • We can check other councils/other states. Please contact Sue S. (SU405 Manager) if you can’t find what you are looking for.
    • To complete GSUSA’s 2010-2011 Program rollout, which includes debut of the new Journey series It’s Your Story-Tell It! in December 2010 and The Girl Guide to Girl Scouting in September 2011, Girl Scout Merchandise announces the Group Discontinued List. [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/shop-home] The list details the status of merchandise items that will be retired to make way for updated badges, activities, and other awards that girls will dive into when they begin using The Girl Guide to Girl Scouting.
    • Each level will have their own edition of new badge activities, along with updated handbook information.
    • There are two lists of badges and awards being retired. Go to www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org and click on the Shop tab. Scroll down to Program Transition Updates, or click here [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/shop-home].

15. Raffle

    • Congratulations to all those who won prizes in our monthly meeting raffle.

Robin sighting! Spring is on the way!

Next Service Unit 405 Meeting:

Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 7:00 pm

St. John Brebeuf Ministry Center